The reason short magnums exist is not for the advantage of hunters but for the advantage of gun manufacturers. They present a new opportunity for selling guns to people who already own a .30-06, a .30-30, a .25-06, a .338. When it comes down to shooting at a big game animal, you can get it done with any of these listed cartridges, you don't need the new cartridges. End of story. As far as weight, 6 ounces less weight means more recoil. I don't see shaving a few OZ off an advantage. If you are hunting at high altitude and hiking long distances, I would suggest a little more effort on the treadmill will do more for you than shaving 6 OZ off the weight of your rifle.

As another thought, I would ask those who favor the new cartridges, do you think they are going to stock your flavor of .270 WSM at the bar and gas station in Lone Wolf, Wyoming, when you realize you left your cartridges back at the hotel or back at home on the bouffet and you want to buy some ammo to hunt with? I bet they carry .30-06. And .270. If you are in Elk country, I bet they carry .30-06 and .338 Winchester Magnum.

But it is a free country. It is one of the blessings of our free market economy that if you want it, someone is going to be happy to sell it to you. We don't have to settle for the single offering of bread on the grocery shelf, the single offering of a private automobile, the single offering of toothpaste.